Pineapple express

PINeApple is perfect for a late summer treat – especially when it comes with rum, spices, cream cheese sorbet and a dash of pina colada. Just sit back and enjoy it.

You will need

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 200g sugar, 100g butter, 12 cloves 4 star anise, 2 vanilla pods, 2 pineapples, 300ml coconut milk, 125ml water, gelatine leaf, Dark rum to taste, 100g puff pastry, 100g icing sugar, 50g butter (soft), cream cheese sorbet.

Method

Skin the pineapple and cut into 4 discs, each an inch thick. Save the trimmings for the pina colada.

In a flat-bottomed pan cook 200g of sugar with a drop of water until it caramelises and is golden brown. Add 100g of butter and mix.

Stud each of the pineapple discs with three cloves and add to the pan.

Slice the vanilla lengthways and scrape the seeds out and add both to the pan along with the star anise.

Cook gently, turning frequently until the pineapple is tender and caramelised.

Blitz the pineapple trimmings until broken down, pass through a sieve and add rum to taste.

Take 300ml coconut milk and mix with 125ml water.

Soak 1 leaf of gelatine in cold water. Take a cupful of the coconut milk mix and gently warm in a pan. Squeeze out the gelatine and mix into the warm coconut milk. When the gelatine is fully dissolved add to the remaining mix of cold water and coconut milk. Whisk the mixture

Roll out the puff pastry in icing sugar until 3 mm thick. Cut into four rectangles of 15cm by 7cm. Prick with a fork and cover with icing sugar. Cook at 200°C for approximately 15 minutes, until the pastry is cooked through and golden and glazed.

Place the pastry disc on a plate over to one side leaving room for a shot glass, position the pineapple on top with the star anise and split vanilla pod on top, place cream cheese sorbet on to other side of the disc.

Fill a shot glass with the pineapple mix about two thirds up, top with the coconut milk (ideally with a cream whipper/ISI gun if you can get one). Place on the other side of the plate with a straw.

Drizzle the caramel from the pineapple around the plate ensuring you mix it around to get the vanilla seeds in it. Garnish with a couple of mint tips.

* Simon Gueller is chef at the Box Tree in Ilkley.

Christine Austin recommends: Counter the fine balance of sweetness and fruit in this dish with the sweet flavours of Paul Cluver Noble Late Harvest Weisser Riesling 2009 from South Africa (£12.95, Field and Fawcett, 01904 489073) or pop the cork on Pol Roger demi-sec champagne, (£35, Mainly Wine and Whisky, Bawtry, 01302 714700).